Volvo Ocean Race - Team Sanya on the hunt for next Chinese super star

Team Sanya is on the hunt for the next Chinese super star in sailing. The team, under the leadership of Skipper Mike Sanderson, is finalising details of their sailing team right now and that team of 10 sailors will include at least one Chinese sailor.

Team Sanya have entered this race to compete at the highest possible level and put the venue of Sanya in China in the map as a world class (and, as yet, relatively unknown and undiscovered) tourist destination. Sanya is located on the Hainan Province and the city is to be found at the southern-most tip of China, right next to Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Sanya has been selected as one of the 10 stop-over ports in the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race and the teams are expected there in February 2012.

China has a reputation for producing world class athletes. The most famous Chinese athlete is Yao Ming, a world class basket ball player standing at 7ft 6' tall who has led the way in popularity and celebrity income earning for the last 6 years. This opportunity with Team Sanya is aiming create the next Chinese sporting hero. And what an opportunity for the right people – the chance to join nine other world class sailing athletes and take part in what is undoubtedly the highest profile sailing race in the world today.

The criteria is pretty straightforward – you need to be Chinese, super strong and fit (90 kgs), ideally have some sailing experience or sporting experience competing at the highest level, you need to speak fluent English (as the nine other guys are unlikely to be able to speak Chinese), you need to be willing and able to get stuck into being part of this team at every level – helping out on boat work, pre-race preparations, media interviews, fitness training - and generally willing and able to turn your hand to whatever each day brings.

So far Team Sanya has gathered a shortlist of around 20 potential Chinese sailing team candidates whom they are assessing right now with a view to the first two candidates joining the team for the Fastnet race from 14th August 2011.

If you are interested in putting your name forward for consideration, please send your details to info(at)teamsanya.com. We need to have a copy of your CV/biography as well as a short video/podcast/set of images about you and why you want to join the Team Sanya sailing team.